"Wanna talk about it?"
☆

"He did what now?" Jude is getting Tashen up to speed on face time.

"He called out his friend's name." Jude repeats. His emotions were all over the place. The situation wasn't funny, but he couldn't help but laugh with sheer disbelief, but then he felt that plummet of pain at the reality of it all.

"Why did he do that?" Tashen questions. Jude can see Tashen's brow furrow on the screen, his newly coloured caramel hair falling over his eyes.

"If I knew that, I wouldn't be calling you mid photo shoot." Jude replies.

"I'm telling you now Jude. If Charlie called out some other guy's name as he shot his load, I would cut his dick off!"

Jude's eyes widen in surprise. "That's a bit extreme Tash. Does Charlie actually know this?"

"He wouldn't dare! He knows he has it good." Tashen half chuckles, before again composing himself. "So what are you gonna do about it?"

Jude sighs, looking down, "I still like him Tash. I really do and he says he didn't mean it."

There is a moment of silence, with Tashen contemplating the next move, and Jude waiting with eager anticipation. Tashen eventually moves, sitting up a little, sucking his tongue in his cheek.

"Ok...so what I think you should do is talk with Hester. Know your competition."

"You mean know your enemy." Jude says sarcastically.

"He may not be the enemy Jude." Tashen argues.
"He may be oblivious to all of this, or he may not be. Right now you don't know anything. Didn't you say he wanted to meet you?"

"Yeah...Tomorrow." Jude replies.

"Then maybe you should go. You can decide what to do after that." Tashen suggests.

"I guess you're right." Jude sighs. "I'll message him after this."

Tashen smiles at Jude through the phone. "And if they make you cry, tell me and I'll set Char on them."

Jude lets out a laugh. "You got it! Thanks Tash."

"No problem...look I need to go, but if you need me, just message." Tashen says, as Jude sees his friend get up from his hair and makeup chair, with chaos in the background all around him.

"Thanks Tash. I'll be fine." Jude reassures.

"Oh and make sure Jojo gets his daily walks and make sure he wears his little coat, it's getting colder." Tashen starts to get into his flapping mode.

"Yes and yes." Jude says, rolling his eyes.

"Ok I really have to go. I love you." Tashen plants a kiss on his phone, with Jude doing the same.

"Love you too Tash. And thanks."

***

Milo lets himself into his apartment and heads straight to his room, wanting to shed himself of his dirty clothes.
"Back so soon?" Hester asks, leaning against Milo's bedroom doorway, tucking into a packet of strawberry laces.

"Yes!" Milo says, a little annoyed to be seeing his friend before him. He had seen enough of him already today."

Milo shakes the jeans from his leg, letting them fall to the floor, before he kicks them to the corner of the room.

Hester watches the undressing spectacle before him. Wondering whether to speak or not. "You wanna talk about it?" He finally says.

"No. Not with you." Milo glares at his friend.

Hester raises his arms defensively. "Hey. I didn't call you, I've done nothing wrong."

"You were there." Milo begins. Tapping his forefinger to his own temple a little harshly. "You were in my head, so you were there."

Hester now swallows down the last of his sweets as he begins to nod slowly. "Oh....I see."

"Yeah. Now you see." Milo begins to direct his finger at Hester. "Whether I like it or not, you are on my mind and it's driving me insane."

"What exactly happened?" Hester asks with a little trepidation, though it was a little hard to take the situation seriously with Milo going off on one in just his boxers.

"You tell me! You seem to know all my moves!" Milo shouts.

"I don't know what you mean?" Hester says, backing away. "I told you not to ask such questions. You won't like the answer."

"Tell me." Milo now gets right up close to Hester, backing him against the open door frame.

Hester looks at Milo square in the face. "You're...you're not ready." Hester says in almost a whisper.

"Try me." Milo challenges. But is met with a silent Hester.

The tense atmosphere is suddenly broken with Milo's phone beeping. He tears his eyes away from Hester to retrieve his message, before texting a few words back.

He then drops his phone on the bed before looking back at Hester. "Jude is coming over to meet you tomorrow and please..." Milo looks Hester up and down. "Will you at least change your clothes?"